Dion Archaeological Park
Dion Archaeological Park
4.5
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4.5
439 reviews
Excellent
246
Very good
128
Average
44
Poor
16
Terrible
5
Darryl L
11 contributions
May 2024 • Couples
Interesting archeological site that reminded us of Pompeii
A short walk from the museum area, really enjoyed our afternoon at Ancient Dion.
Museums also worth a visit, especially the mosaic masterpiece of Dionysus.
Was a great day trip prior to our Mount Olympus hike the next day.
A short walk from the museum area, really enjoyed our afternoon at Ancient Dion.
Museums also worth a visit, especially the mosaic masterpiece of Dionysus.
Was a great day trip prior to our Mount Olympus hike the next day.
Written 1 June 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ron S
New York City, NY5,930 contributions
Oct 2022
It was raining when we arrived to the site. So we drove around to peek thru the fence to figure out if it was worth getting wet. The site looked a bit neglected and we could not see any standing structures although the site was quite large.
Written 2 November 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sensible Girls
Birmingham, UK639 contributions
Mar 2024 • Friends
Lovely walk around the ancient ruins and pretty park. Plus leave plenty of time to sightsee the secon part of the site where the old city used to be. Loads to view throughout and gives you an idea about how life used to run in the ancient times.
Written 17 May 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Michael Adamidis 🇬🇷
Kastoria, Greece6,595 contributions
Jul 2019 • Friends
One of the most important and bigger archeological parks in the area and in Greece. It eirthd the visit and it is very important and interesting to see how it was the place before 2200 years ago.
Written 23 July 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Audrey D
Bordeaux, France7 contributions
Jul 2014 • Solo
I went from Thessaloniki to Dion by bus. The first part of the travel, Thessaloniki-Katerini is easy, the bus go from the Ktel station Makedonia at Thessaloniki to the bus station at Katerini. The bus Katerini-Dion is a local bus and so doesn't start at the Ktel station (only for regional buses). To find the bus stop for Dion from the Ktel station go out of the station and turn right toward the city center (follow the panels). Cross straight the main square when you arrive on it and go on your right on the commercial street without car. Two blocks from there turn left and thirty meters after you will arrive on a little square with the bus stop for Dion. There is a bus at 7h, 8h, 9h15, 10h30, 11h45, 13h, 14h45, 17h, 18h30 and 21h30. It take almost half an hour to reach Dion and the bus makes a loop so you can calculate the hour of the return from it. (ticket price : 1€50)
Dion is a very beautiful and interesting place and worth the travel.
Dion is a very beautiful and interesting place and worth the travel.
Written 12 July 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Susan K
11 contributions
Jun 2018 • Couples
We caught the intercity KTEL bus from Thessaloniki to Katerini (approximately 7 Euros). After that, we had some difficulty in finding the local bus number 3 from Katerini centre to the archaeological museum. Our advice is to ask the people who sell tickets at the local bus kiosks or the person behind the KTEL ticket booth at Katerini bus station. We found it in a small street and the bus driver did not understand English. A very helpful local helped us to buy tickets from the automated ticket machine outside the bus stop and asked the bus driver to let us know when to get off the bus. It was a good 30 mins drive through countryside with many twists and turns and steep inclinations, i.e. I would not advise you walk it as it is quite some distance, not easy to navigate and only cost us 1.70 Euros for the journey. The bus dropped us off in front of the museum.
The museum housed beautiful mosiacs including the head of medusa from the villa of Dionysus, grave and funeral reliefs from 4th & 5th century AD, marble statues of Isis, Heracles, Zeus. Do not miss the beautiful and large mosaic housed in a separate building next to the archaeological museum. It is included in the price of the ticket.
The archaeological site is not located next to the museum. You will need to exit the museum and turn right following the signs to the archaeological site which is approximately 500m down the road. This was perhaps the highlight of my entire trip as we were able to see the oldest temples (6th century BC) so far excavated in Macedonia dedicated to the goddesses of fertility, in particular, Demeter. Other highlights included the villa of Dionysos, a basilica, the great Thermae of Dion, the grand theatres against the beautiful backdrop of the Olympus mountain range. You will not be disappointed. This is a very worthwhile place to visit.
The return journey was a bit tricky as I originally read another Tripadvisor post saying that the local bus from Katerini to Dion arrchaeological museum did a round trip so I assumed that we could catch the bus from the same place it deposited us. We sat and waited. The bus came but sped past and we indicated to the bus driver confused as to why he did not stop. He pointed to our left so we decided to follow the advice of the locals who were indicating that we should walk towards the archaeological site where the bus stop would be. My directions are therefore turn right out of the museum exit, walk approx 200m down the road, with the restaurants on your left and the museum on your right in the direction of the archaeological site. You will come to a road with T junction. The bus stop is an unmarked bus shelter on the other side of the road in front of you. Fortunately for us we saw two tourists who came on the bus with us from Katerini to Dion waiting at the stop when the bus arrived and we were able to board also as they stopped the bus. Had they not been there we would have missed it and possibly been stranded waiting a while for another bus during the siesta period. We bought our return tickets from the bus driver. Please note when you buy direct from the driver the journey costs only slightly more (2 Euros).
The museum housed beautiful mosiacs including the head of medusa from the villa of Dionysus, grave and funeral reliefs from 4th & 5th century AD, marble statues of Isis, Heracles, Zeus. Do not miss the beautiful and large mosaic housed in a separate building next to the archaeological museum. It is included in the price of the ticket.
The archaeological site is not located next to the museum. You will need to exit the museum and turn right following the signs to the archaeological site which is approximately 500m down the road. This was perhaps the highlight of my entire trip as we were able to see the oldest temples (6th century BC) so far excavated in Macedonia dedicated to the goddesses of fertility, in particular, Demeter. Other highlights included the villa of Dionysos, a basilica, the great Thermae of Dion, the grand theatres against the beautiful backdrop of the Olympus mountain range. You will not be disappointed. This is a very worthwhile place to visit.
The return journey was a bit tricky as I originally read another Tripadvisor post saying that the local bus from Katerini to Dion arrchaeological museum did a round trip so I assumed that we could catch the bus from the same place it deposited us. We sat and waited. The bus came but sped past and we indicated to the bus driver confused as to why he did not stop. He pointed to our left so we decided to follow the advice of the locals who were indicating that we should walk towards the archaeological site where the bus stop would be. My directions are therefore turn right out of the museum exit, walk approx 200m down the road, with the restaurants on your left and the museum on your right in the direction of the archaeological site. You will come to a road with T junction. The bus stop is an unmarked bus shelter on the other side of the road in front of you. Fortunately for us we saw two tourists who came on the bus with us from Katerini to Dion waiting at the stop when the bus arrived and we were able to board also as they stopped the bus. Had they not been there we would have missed it and possibly been stranded waiting a while for another bus during the siesta period. We bought our return tickets from the bus driver. Please note when you buy direct from the driver the journey costs only slightly more (2 Euros).
Written 27 June 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
saronic
Zurich, Switzerland28,818 contributions
Sept 2016 • Solo
For people with at least a minimum of cultural interest - be they based at one of Pieria's beaches or for Mount Olympos hikers at Litochoro, which is only 9km away (a 15 Euro taxi ride one way) - a visit to the sacred site of Dion dedicated to Zeus is a must. One of the most important archaeological sites in Northern Greece it shows the cultural closeness of the Macedonians to ancient Greece.
A combined ticket is available, valid for both the Museum and the Archaeological Park, which are about 500m apart. It costs 8 Euros (reduced tickets for 4 Euros are available, for example for retired people). Tickets can be bought at both places.
When at the museum ask to see the 'Store Gallery' (Archaiothiki) next door, which is used for restaurations, so one will encounter people working there. The reason though to go there is the enormous floor mosaic depicting Dionysos on a chariot, pulled by leopards through water, and surrounded by centaurs. Photography here is not allowed, while it is permitted without flash in the museum. Keep in mind, that the Store Gallery closes at 3pm, while the site and the museum are open - in summer - until 8pm.
While in the museum, where there are only short descriptions in English (longer in Greek), ask also to see the video lasting 7 minutes, where Dimitrios Pantermalis, Professor at the University of Thessaloniki and in charge of the excavations at Dion, gives some useful informations about the site. Alone for this video it makes sense to visit the museum before the park.
One of the most interesting items in the museum are the bronze remains of a 'Hydraulis', exhibited on the top floor. It is an ancient Greek musical instrument, consisting here of 24 wide and 16 narrow pipes, like a forerunner of the European church organ. Discovered in 1992 it is the first and oldest Hydraulis ever found.
At the Archaeological Park itself, where there is a café and a small souvenir shop inside the entrance, no single monument is outstanding and everything is very spread out, so it takes quite some walking to see all. There are detailed informations boards, (in Greek and English) near each building. One can even find information boards about the nature in the park (birds, animals, trees and flowers).
Alone for the scenery it is worthwhile to come to the park with beautiful old trees and plenty of water (river, brooks, swamps). Far away can be seen Mount Olympos.
A combined ticket is available, valid for both the Museum and the Archaeological Park, which are about 500m apart. It costs 8 Euros (reduced tickets for 4 Euros are available, for example for retired people). Tickets can be bought at both places.
When at the museum ask to see the 'Store Gallery' (Archaiothiki) next door, which is used for restaurations, so one will encounter people working there. The reason though to go there is the enormous floor mosaic depicting Dionysos on a chariot, pulled by leopards through water, and surrounded by centaurs. Photography here is not allowed, while it is permitted without flash in the museum. Keep in mind, that the Store Gallery closes at 3pm, while the site and the museum are open - in summer - until 8pm.
While in the museum, where there are only short descriptions in English (longer in Greek), ask also to see the video lasting 7 minutes, where Dimitrios Pantermalis, Professor at the University of Thessaloniki and in charge of the excavations at Dion, gives some useful informations about the site. Alone for this video it makes sense to visit the museum before the park.
One of the most interesting items in the museum are the bronze remains of a 'Hydraulis', exhibited on the top floor. It is an ancient Greek musical instrument, consisting here of 24 wide and 16 narrow pipes, like a forerunner of the European church organ. Discovered in 1992 it is the first and oldest Hydraulis ever found.
At the Archaeological Park itself, where there is a café and a small souvenir shop inside the entrance, no single monument is outstanding and everything is very spread out, so it takes quite some walking to see all. There are detailed informations boards, (in Greek and English) near each building. One can even find information boards about the nature in the park (birds, animals, trees and flowers).
Alone for the scenery it is worthwhile to come to the park with beautiful old trees and plenty of water (river, brooks, swamps). Far away can be seen Mount Olympos.
Written 9 October 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Iryna
Kyiv, Ukraine723 contributions
Jul 2012 • Friends
Dion is an ancient city in Katerini District, Greece. Now it's not a city but an archaeological museum where you can see ruins of old temples, gymnasium, bath etc. Very strange feeling of huge historical museum but without walls, in the open air. You can see very well preserved mosaic, frescoes, sculptures etc. and archaeologists working nearby. We came there early in the morning at 9 A.M because of heat and sun. The city is situated on the open platform, that's why heat is exhausting. If you travel in summer, I recommend 1) to take bottle of water; 2) suitable footwear ( not slippery) because it is necessary to walk a lot on cobblestone and ground road: 3) to wear something protecting head from the heat; 4) to order excursion ( it is better when someone walk you around the city and tell you the story). Because it is archaeological museum there is small entrance fee. You can also buy souvenirs and postcards at the entrance.
Written 23 April 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Maria_Preveza
Preveza, Greece169 contributions
Oct 2011 • Family
The first time my husband and I went to this site was 18 years ago, and it only took 30 minutes to enjoy the site, but several months ago when we returned, it took 2-3 hours to see the sit, and the wonders of it all, well, I cannot tell you, it was so wonderful. Here is were King Philip and Alexander the Great came after their war victories to thank God for their wins, this is such a must, but so many people do not come, and we do not understand why. Please come to this site.
Written 28 September 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
olympus h
greece81 contributions
Aug 2013 • Family
- Preparation: Be prepared with some background information before you get there.
- Location: Idyllic
- View: Enjoy magnificent views of Mountain Olympus.
- Admission cost: Not expensive. It was worth every cent of the cost of entry.
- The queue: No
- Duration of visit: I spent three hours there (9am-12pm) and managed to see everything.
- Site description: Few signs and information about what the ruins represent.
- Breaks: Benches throughout the site allow breaks.
- Photos: Yes.
- Museum: It is a small museum with many statues, but interesting.
- Museum shop: A small shop where you can buy souvenirs, books and postcards.
- Recommendations: Take a bottle of water (1+1/2 lit.) and a hat for the sun (in the summer). Wear comfortable shoes!
- Location: Idyllic
- View: Enjoy magnificent views of Mountain Olympus.
- Admission cost: Not expensive. It was worth every cent of the cost of entry.
- The queue: No
- Duration of visit: I spent three hours there (9am-12pm) and managed to see everything.
- Site description: Few signs and information about what the ruins represent.
- Breaks: Benches throughout the site allow breaks.
- Photos: Yes.
- Museum: It is a small museum with many statues, but interesting.
- Museum shop: A small shop where you can buy souvenirs, books and postcards.
- Recommendations: Take a bottle of water (1+1/2 lit.) and a hat for the sun (in the summer). Wear comfortable shoes!
Written 25 September 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ποιο είναι το κόστος για την επίσκεψη στο μουσείο.και στον αρχαιολογικό χώρο
Written 25 October 2019
Λίγο αργά από την ερώτηση σας. Το εισιτήριο είναι 8,00 ευρώ και περιλαμβάνει και το μουσείο και τον αρχαιολογικό χώρο.
Written 4 August 2020
Sapete se è sempre aperto e quali orari fa? Ho un cane di piccola taglia gli é permesso entrare? Grazie mille
Written 12 August 2019
Since I know there was flooding at Dion, is it now fully open?
Written 8 April 2018
The walking site is fully open but the part opposite the museum with the best mosaics seems to be normally closed.
Written 10 April 2018
Hanioti is at Kassandra Chalkidiki, the distance is 204 km and Google maps advises 2 hours and 25 min by car.
Written 9 January 2017
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